IndyCar: Indy road race on!

Following a successful test some weeks ago, IndyCar officials have announced that there will be a road course event at Indianapolis two weeks before the 2014 famed Indianapolis 500.

The IndyCar Series will use the course currently used for MotoGP and formally for the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix from 2000-07 but we understand that it will be reconfigured during the winter to improve overtaking and viewing opportunities.

Some insiders, among them AJ Foyt and racer Dario Franchitti, have had concerns that holding the road course race in the Indy 500 build-up will detract from the main event, but IMS brass believes it will be a boost for the Speedway.

Further details of the event will be revealed at a press conference on October 1.

Photo: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Meanwhile, Ed Carpenter Racing has suffered a setback when its truck drivers, on their way back from the official test at Fontana, experienced a fire in the rear of the team’s trailer early Wednesday some 20 miles west of Flagstaff, Ariz.

Three Andretti Autosport truck and trailer crews, who were passing by, also pulled off the highway to assist the unfortunate drivers with the fire.

One of the Andretti Autosport truck crews brought the Indy 500 pole-winning race car, the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka Dallara DW12 Chevrolet-powered machine, to Indianapolis Thursday morning as well as some spare parts from the damaged trailer.